I./St.G 77 Operation - 13 August 1940 to RAF Ford

[Andy Saunders]

According to the Log Book of Otto Schmidt (3./St.G 77) he took part in an operation that was intended to attack Ford on 13 August 1940.

He took off at 06.55 from Beaumont and landed after 2 hours having recorded "Bodennebel" (Fog).

Does anyone have further detail of the mission; ie what other elements of I./St.G 77? What fighter cover?

As we know, the Stuka force paid a return visit to Ford on 18 August 1940.

[Larry Hickey]

Andy,

The Heinrich Weiss "Coastal War" Manuscript deals with this fairly definitely. There are two subsections that address the actions of StG77 that day. The original German text is copyright IHRA, 2005, and the English translation excerpt is copyright, IHRA, 2010, and has not been previously published.

August 13, 1940:

"Air Corps VIII

"The attack area was covered by fighters of Jafü 3: 173 Bf109s of three fighter wings, and 60 Bf110s of ZG2 and subordinated V.(Z)/LG1 were also protecting the dive-bombers of StG77 (Air Corps VIII), which had taken off beginning at 06.50 hrs to attack coastal airfields located between Chichester and Brighton.

"It was shortly after 07.00 hrs when the British radar stations in Beachy Head, Truleigh, Poling and Pevensey, the latter was again operational, plotted the first aircraft flying in from the direction of Dieppe. Within the next few minutes the number of intruders was estimated at “100+”. We should not forget the big picture: at the same time 60 bombers of KG2 were moving from the area of Amiens towards the north. Around 07.15 hrs another approaching formation of “40+” was reported on the south coast coming in from the area of Cherbourg as well as a further “30+”, flying from the direction of the British Channel Islands – this was the approaching formation of StG77.

"Air Corps VIII

"...88 Ju 87B of StG77 took off... to attack airfields at: Ford, Gosport and Thorney Island being escorted by the already mentioned forces of Jafü 3. Stuka formations were heading along the western side of the Cotentin peninsula towards the north. They were quickly picked up by British radar stations, and five fighter squadrons were scrambled. II./JG53 and V.(Z)/LG1 became engaged with 87 and 238 Sqn, and not one of the British pilots was able to get through to the dive-bombers. The weather was playing an important role because all dive-bombers were called back to base due to deteriorating weather. Thick low clouds (LJH note: fog) covered the assigned targets. One Ju 87 experienced an engine problem and its bombs had to be jettisoned into the Channel.
Owing to weather, later all further missions were cancelled until further notice by an order from Luftwaffe HQ..."

The entire series of events on "Eagle Day" are covered in the 29-page single-spaced typewritten Weiss narrative (in German), plus there is a detailed casualty appendix and several maps, but that's pretty much all it says about the part of the activities that day relating directly to your question, Andy. In fact, as you can see, the activities of StG77 were pretty much a non-event that day.

Hope this helps with what you're researching.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator

[Andy Saunders]

Thank you, Larry.

That fills in some missing pieces for me!

So, it looks as if 3 Staffel were going for Ford from Schmidt's Flugbuch, but I'd be interested to know which elements of the I Gruppe were going to which other airfields. Does anybody know? Also, I notice that the initial target information is given as "...coastal airfields between Brighton and Chichester." Although we later have specifics (Ford, Gosport and Thorney Island) it is the case that 'Brighton' is quite a bit further east. I have read somewhere, but now cannot find that reference, that Shoreham was also on the target list - and that makes sense if the airfields were between Brighton and Chichester.

Although these attacks were all a non-event, I'd like to find out what was intended.

[Snautzer]

Ford airfield attack picture as published in Der Adler http://i589.photobucket.com/albums/s...rdairfield.jpg

[Andy Saunders]

Thank you!

This was the attack on 18 August; presumably the intended attack postponed from 13 August 1940.